Anchusa crispa

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	TRACHEOPHYTA	MAGNOLIOPSIDA	LAMIALES	BORAGINACEAE

Scientific Name:

Anchusa crispa

Species Authority

Viv.

Common Name/s:

French

–

Buglosse Crépu

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered B1ab(iv)c(iv)+2ab(iv)c(iv) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2006

Assessor/s

Gamisans, J., Selvi, F. & Paradis, G.

Evaluator/s:

Strahm, W. & de Montmollin, B. (Mediterranean Island Plants Red List Authority)

Justification:
The area in which this species is found is very small, the population is severely fragmented and declining, and the number of mature individuals fluctuates extremely.

Even if 20 subpopulations are still known to exist on Sardinia and Corsica, these are all very small. At least four on Corsica (two sites to the north of the Gulf of Valinco and two on the eastern coast) are in strong decline, and another site at Campitellu disappeared in 1999.

History:

1998

–

Vulnerable (Walter and Gillett 1998)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is only found on the upper part of beaches on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia.
Countries:	Native: France (Corse); Italy (Sardegna)

Population [top]

Population:	20 subpopulations exist on Sardinia and Corsica.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	An annual or short-lived perennial herb that grows on highly saline, sandy soils. A. crispa depends on the substrate on which it grows (depth, richness and humidity) in order to accumulate sufficient energy reserves to flower and fruit. Ants disperse its tiny seeds over short distances, and they may be dispersed over longer distances by water. A. crispa is usually found growing on fairly firm sandy substrates at the upper edge of the beach, sometimes associated with Sand Couch Grass (Agropyron junceum) and Marram Grass (Ammophila arenaria). Although A. crispa tolerates occasional trampling, it will disappear if the pressure becomes too severe.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

An annual or short-lived perennial herb that grows on highly saline, sandy soils.

A. crispa depends on the substrate on which it grows (depth, richness and humidity) in order to accumulate sufficient energy reserves to flower and fruit. Ants disperse its tiny seeds over short distances, and they may be dispersed over longer distances by water. A. crispa is usually found growing on fairly firm sandy substrates at the upper edge of the beach, sometimes associated with Sand Couch Grass (Agropyron junceum) and Marram Grass (Ammophila arenaria). Although A. crispa tolerates occasional trampling, it will disappear if the pressure becomes too severe.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The threats to this species can be divided into two groups: those posed by people, and those by natural events. Currently this species is badly affected by human activities, in particular intense trampling, motorbikes, four-wheel drive vehicles and quad bikes, camping, the construction of tracks and roads, mechanical beach cleaning, and the removal of sand. The construction of ditches upstream to the beaches also poses a threat by modifying the amount of water available to the plants. On Corsica, strong storms have repeatedly swept large amounts of sand over the area where Anchusa grows. In 1999 and 2002 such events caused substantial declines in several subpopulations of this species.

Major Threat(s):

The threats to this species can be divided into two groups: those posed by people, and those by natural events. Currently this species is badly affected by human activities, in particular intense trampling, motorbikes, four-wheel drive vehicles and quad bikes, camping, the construction of tracks and roads, mechanical beach cleaning, and the removal of sand. The construction of ditches upstream to the beaches also poses a threat by modifying the amount of water available to the plants.

On Corsica, strong storms have repeatedly swept large amounts of sand over the area where Anchusa grows. In 1999 and 2002 such events caused substantial declines in several subpopulations of this species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Actions in Place Legally: In France, Anchusa crispa is legally protected in Corsica and included in the national Red List of France. In the Red List of Italy, it is listed as Vulnerable. Internationally, it is included in Appendix I of the Bern Convention, and as a priority species in Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive. In situ: Several conservation projects have started through an EU LIFE project entitled "Conservation of natural habitats and plant species in Corsica", including habitat protection, land acquisition, and restoration work. Within the framework of the EU Habitats Directive, several sites containing A. crispa are now included in the Natura 2000 network, a measure likely to strengthen conservation efforts. Certain sites on Corsica are in the process of being restored by l’Antenne Corse du Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles and the Conservatoire Régional des Sites de Corse, which includes management and replanting. Ex situ: Seeds of this species have been conserved in several seed banks, e.g. at Porquerolles (France), and plants have been cultivated in several botanic gardens, including Sóller (Majorca, Spain), Porquerolles, and Geneva (Switzerland). Actions Needed Beach managers as well as the public need to learn about the importance of protecting native coastal species. Barriers should be erected to keep vehicles off the beach. Sites hosting important populations of A. crispa need to be acquired by nature conservationmanagers

Conservation Actions:

Actions in Place
Legally: In France, Anchusa crispa is legally protected in Corsica and included in the national Red List of France. In the Red List of Italy, it is listed as Vulnerable. Internationally, it is included in Appendix I of the Bern Convention, and as a priority species in Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive.

In situ: Several conservation projects have started through an EU LIFE project entitled "Conservation of natural habitats and plant species in Corsica", including habitat protection, land acquisition, and restoration work.

Within the framework of the EU Habitats Directive, several sites containing A. crispa are now included in the Natura 2000 network, a measure likely to strengthen conservation efforts. Certain sites on Corsica are in the process of being restored by l’Antenne Corse du Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles and the Conservatoire Régional des Sites de Corse, which includes management and replanting.

Ex situ: Seeds of this species have been conserved in several seed banks, e.g. at Porquerolles (France), and plants have been cultivated in several botanic gardens, including Sóller (Majorca, Spain), Porquerolles, and Geneva (Switzerland).

Actions Needed
Beach managers as well as the public need to learn about the importance of protecting native coastal species. Barriers should be erected to keep vehicles off the beach. Sites hosting important populations of A. crispa need to be acquired by nature conservationmanagers

Citation:	Gamisans, J., Selvi, F. & Paradis, G. 2006. Anchusa crispa. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 November 2008.
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